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Friday, 30 July 2010

Time

I've been thinking a lot about time lately. It might have something to do with the fact that I'd been sick for a whole week without energy to do much. It might have to do with the fact that I've recently turned the big three-o (yes, I can hear you gasping in shock).

Have you ever been asked, "Where do you find the time to [insert appropriate activity here]?" Or perhaps you've even asked someone that question before.

In my opinion, it's mostly an unnecessary question because we all find the time to do whatever we want to do the most. It's all a matter of priority (conscious or otherwise) and preference.

Where do we find the time to watch TV? Where do we find the time to read? Where do we find the time to sleep? Where do we find the time to eat? Where do we find the time to go shopping?

It's true, some activities are more necessary than others but think about all the time that you spend doing the things you enjoy doing. Where do you find the time to do it? You just find time, don't you?

Say you enjoy watching TV. You've probably given up some time reading a book to do so.

Say you enjoy going out for walks. You've probably given up some time cleaning the house to do so.

Or take my example - I love knitting. All I've simply done is use the time where I would be sitting in a car on a long road trip doing nothing to knit. Either that or I knit furiously when I'm watching TV.

These are things that you don't actually think about. You just give up something to do something else.

But we live in a society where we're made to feel guilty that we have time to do anything. If we have time for some R&R, it's most likely because we're "lazy".

Are we really?

Do I really have to feel guilty simply because I've managed to prioritise my life and do what I enjoy doing the most? Do I have to feel bad because occasionally, I am able to do two things at once?

The next time you feel tempted to ask someone where they find the time to do something, take a moment to think: that particular person does not have your life. Which means they have very different priorities to you. Which also means they have very different interests to you. Which therefore means, while they may have found the time to do something you would actually love to do, they have essentially given up the time to do something you have actually done.